St Botolph's
The website of Chevening Parish Church
Newsletter — December 2011
Worship this month — all welcome
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| 4 December: Advent 2 | ||
| 8.00am | Holy Communion CW (Chipstead) | |
| 10.30am | Family Communion CW (Chevening) | |
| 7 December: Wednesday | ||
| 10.30am | Holy Communion BCP (Chipstead) | |
| 8.00pm | Prayer meeting, Rectory | |
| 11 December: Advent 3 | ||
| 8.00am | Holy Communion CW (Chipstead) | |
| 10.30am | Christingle Family Service (Chevening) | |
| 14 December: Wednesday | ||
| 7.30pm | Carols by 1,000 candles (Chipstead) | |
| 18 December: Advent 4 | ||
| 8.00am | Holy Communion CW (Chipstead) | |
| 10.30am | Nine Lessons and Carols (Chevening) | |
| 24 December: Christmas Eve | ||
| 11.15pm | Holy Communion CW (Chevening) | |
| 25 December: Christmas Day | ||
| 8.00am | Holy Communion CW (Chipstead) | |
| 10.30am | Family Communion CW (Chevening) | |
| 1 January: Christmas 1 | ||
| 10.30am | Family Communion CW (Chevening) | |
| Sunday Club for 5-11 year olds meets at 10.15am on 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month in the Parish Hall in Chipstead. Come along and bring a friend. | ||
| The crèche is available for under 5s from 10.15am on Sundays. It meets in the nursery through the black door opposite the small church gate. | ||
| Kinect for years 7 to 9. This group meets on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month. They leave during the first hymn and meet Mark and Fiona Jordan outside church before going up to Chevening stables. Kinecting kids to God, Church and one another . . . | ||
| The Youth Group will be meeting on 16 December at The Pavilion. For details please call Kevin McNamara on 07939 502 519. | ||
| Mums & Kids Coffee Morning. A chance for those with young children to meet up, get to know each other and for the children to play. Hosted by Kim Wilding on Monday 12 December at 9.30am in the Parish Hall. Dads welcome too. | ||
Dear friends
Is Christmas a time of joy for you? For some it is. Children and grandchildren charging round the house. Turkey, tinsel and Tia Maria. Memories of snowy Christmases; crunching up the path to church; singing carols round the parish and odd presents from eccentric aunts. Sitting down to watch the Queen, "Be quiet Darling! Shh." "But I want to watch James Bond." Nativity plays and Christmas lights. And somewhere in all of this a baby born in a manager.
As we grow up it begins to dawn on us that this isn't what everyone experiences at Christmas. One year we were in London for Christmas and I noticed all the people walking around alone. Relational problems, fears and anxieties can be acutely at this time. There can be regrets, rows, and the ache of loved ones no longer with us. And somewhere in all of this a baby born in a manger.
Jesus' birth is something to celebrate because it shows us that God loves us and that ultimately we aren't alone. God didn’t stay aloof from our pain and problems but he got stuck in, beginning his rescue plan in Bethlehem. As children we celebrate the baby born in the manger. As adults I hope we can add to that some grasp of all that the incarnation means — a God who sees all the problems of the world and gives his all to help.
Happy Christmas
Rev Chris Smith
Christmas Publicity
Thank you so much for helping to deliver 1,200 Christmas cards to the parish. If there are any packs left in the porch please help us with this village outreach.
Ten Commandments
Our series on the Ten Commandments continues on 4 December. Thank you for all your comments and jokes — please keep them coming! After the sermon Sunday Club children will go with Olwen to the stables to practise their Christingle play. Parents, enjoy the rest of the service and a coffee and then they will be returned to you.
The Christingle Family Service
Sunday 11 December at 10.30am. The workshop will be held from 10.30am on Saturday the 10th in the Parish Hall. Please come and join in the fun and help make Christingles. Also there will be refreshments and an opportunity to make Christmas decorations as well.
Carols by 1,000 candles
This community carol service will be held on Wednesday 14th at 7.30pm. Refreshments will be served afterwards. The church will look beautiful as it's lit by 1,000 candles. If you have requests for carols or readings please let the rector know asap.
Carol singing — come and sing!
In the Tesco foyer for charity on 12 and 19 December 5.30pm to 6.30pm. And new this year — around the parish on 21 December. Meet at 4.00pm outside the parish Hall. Dress warmly and bring a torch.
Christmas gifts
Thank you for your kindness. The open offering at the service of Nine Lessons and Carols will be given to Chevening School. Any gifts left under the Christmas tree at the pre-Christmas services will be given to the Cheshire Home. It is a help if you can indicate on the gift if it is for a man or a woman. With the support of Chevening Parish Council, the Hospice in the Weald are sponsoring a "Tree of Light" Christmas tree on the green at Chipstead (opposite the Bricklayer's Arms). There will be a service of dedication at 7.00pm on Monday 5 December. Do come along and offer your support.
World Vision — Must Have Gifts
Worried about the commercialism of Christmas? Why not give to those really in need this year. World Vision have an excellent catalogue called "Must Have Gifts". You can find it online and donate things like a blanket for £9 or pots and pans for refugees for £12.
A new hymn book
The choir and rector have been looking for a year to see if we could find a new hymn book. The two we have at the moment have offered sterling service but both are getting a little long in the tooth. Having considered all the choices we felt that Complete Mission Praise was the best option. This has 90% of the hymns that we sing from Hymns Ancient and Modern and all the best songs from Songs of Fellowship. Added to this are some really beautiful new hymns — for example many by Timothy Dudley-Smith. And some wonderful new songs as well — for example the one the school sang on 20 November. A large print edition is available which will greatly help some members. We have been blessed by an anonymous donor coming forward to underwrite the cost of these new books. In light of this the PCC and choir commend Complete Mission Praise to the congregation to be adopted as our new hymn book. Copies are available at the back so please have a look. If you have any thoughts please let the rector or churchwardens know before 12 December. The standing committee hopes to make a final decision before Christmas.
Advance notice: Confirmation 2012
I'm delighted that Bishop Brian will be joining us for confirmation on the evening of Friday 29 June 2012. Please book in soon with the Rector — classes will start after Easter.
Prayer Meeting — Wednesday 7 December 8.00pm
Please come along to the Rectory to pray for the church and the world on Wednesday the 7th. With so many visitors coming over Christmas we need to be praying that God's Spirit will be at work in them. If you have never come to our prayer meeting why not give it a try this month? People are very friendly and I think you might be surprised how enjoyable it is. Some people pray "out loud" but others don't — this is purely voluntary.
A Christian secondary school in Sevenoaks
From the Chronicle you may be aware that we are hoping to found a Christian Secondary School in Sevenoaks to open in 2013 on the old Wildernesse site. Please ask the rector about this if you have any questions. For more details or if you can help please visit http://www.sevenoakschristianschool.org.uk. Please sign the petitions at the back of the church, green for the community, cream for parents with children 10 or under.
